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Feel the Silence

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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
II

The day dawned overcast and humid. Lucas watched as the heavy rainclouds rolled in and settled like a blanket over the beach, blocking out the sunlight. It was ironic, he thought to himself; the weather reflected just how he felt – about to burst into tears. The air was thick and muggy, and just laying in his bedroll, he began to sweat. As the sky lightened, other soldiers began to awaken, and slowly the camp came alive. Lucas lay silently, watching as the army prepared for battle.

Each soldier, as he woke up, first organized his things in his pack. Then they pulled on the armor they had been issued, which was simply leather chest plates – although a lucky few had chain mail – and methodically tightened the straps. Next they sat and carefully sharpened and cleaned their rusty old swords, or painted the feathers of their arrows and strung their bows. Sword belts were buckled, quivers were roped to archer’s legs, and armor was settled into place, all as Lucas watched. He knew he must set about this routine at some point, but he was reluctant, for doing so would mean he had to accept that battle was really coming.

He allowed himself to reflect on the last battle. He’d awoken and been terrified, once he understood what was going on. That was fear of the unknown, of his ignorance in battle and fear of what he had never seen before. His fear of messing up and his ignorance, that was still there, but this time he knew what was coming, he knew he had to walk down to the beach voluntarily and rush into the madness that was battle, and it made him sick. The fear was the churning of his stomach, the tightening of his chest, the stiffening of his limbs, the way his skin was clammy and his palms had begun to sweat.

Then he was on his feet, walking away from the smoking ashes of the campfire. There was no direction, no purpose, he just knew he needed to get away and clear his head.

20-Jul-2008 23:31:44 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:27:59 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He fought the urge to pace and instead wandered the expansive camp, watching everyone else calmly prepare for battle. He passed Gaven polishing his dented helmet; the old soldier waved and grinned, but Lucas just continued on. He passed three of the generals hunched over a table spread with maps, pointing and arguing over tactics. He passed archers fletching arrows and soldiers testing the blades of their swords. How could they be so calm? Did they feel the same fear he did, or was he alone? They had to be terrified too, did*’t they? They had to fear what was coming. They had to fear the chance that they could lose their lives. How could they accept that so easily, and act like it was nothing? Lucas hung his head, fighting the rage boiling inside him. None of it made any sense!

Most everyone was awake now, and he knew it was time for him to prepare. He made his way back to his things and kneeled slowly, dropping to one knee and then the other. He fished his armor from his pack and slipped it over his head. It settled over his shoulders with a dead weight, and his stomach dropped a little further. Maybe this time he would be protected, at least. Examining the scarred leather and its many holes and gouges, however, he knew that might be too much to hope for. Beside his pack was his sword belt, and this he picked up next. The rapier Gavin had provided for him did*’* fit the scabbard for his previous sword, so he had thrown that away and fashioned a crude cloth cover, which he tied to the belt. Now he drew the weapon and examined it closely for the first time. The leather strips around the handle had been died red and white; Kandarin colors. It was a good sword, though. Two and a half feet long, with the blade an inch wide and perhaps half that thick, double-edged, with a sharp point.

20-Jul-2008 23:32:23 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:09 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
A memory came to mind. For a moment he was not in the army camp south of Rimmington, but back on Justine’s front porch. He embraced her for many minutes. Neither wanted to let go, and though both tried, their bodies would not respond. He wanted to remember that feeling forever, of her body close to his, of her silky auburn hair, of her lips on his as he kissed her goodbye. When they finally disentangled themselves, she had straightened his new uniform and scrubbed her tears away. Then her father had approached him. “Well, Lucas,” he had begun, capturing the young man’s gaze with his cold gray eyes.

“Goodbye, sir,” Lucas had murmured, and bowed deeply. “I’ll be back, you’ll see.”

“Right. Do you know how to fight?” His voice had been sarcastic and laced with contempt.

Lucas saw Justine stiffen out of the corner of his eye, but forced himself not to react. “I will learn what I have to, sir,” he replied confidently.

Her father was nodded, tight-lipped with amusement. “Just remember,” he advised, and mimed jabbing Lucas with a sword, “you stick them with the pointy end!” Then he had clapped Lucas on the shoulder. “Go get ‘em, boy! Kill some Kandarins and make us proud!”

Lucas had shook him off and met his gaze squarely. “You’ll see,* he had promised. Her father had only laughed. He had turned back to Justine. “Wait for me,” he whispered. “I’ll come home soon.”

“You don’t have to do this!” she pleaded one last time, as she rushed toward him and grabbed his hands.

*Yes, I do,” he replied softly, and kissed her again. “But I promise I’ll come home to you. It’s not for long.”

“I love you,” she said, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder and twining her arms about his neck.

“I love you too.” Now tears streamed down his cheeks as well. “I have to go, Justine.” He pried her off and gazed into her face for one last time, memorizing her features, before he mounted his waiting horse and rode away.

20-Jul-2008 23:33:39 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:19 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Gods, protect me please,” he whispered, running trembling fingers over the words on the envelope. “I made a mistake. Just let me survive this and get back to her…”

There was a sudden stirring in the camp. Soldiers began running back and forth, shouting orders to each other. Lucas burst to his feet, scanning the scene. Had the Kandarins attacked? A captain ran by, shouting, “Gather at the center of the camp for briefing! Gather at the center…” Lucas let out a shaky laugh as he vanished into the crowd beyond. Good Gods, he was paranoid. He followed the flow of men to the center of the camp, where a crude platform had been erected. One of the generals stood upon a table, looking out over the assembled army. When things had settled down and it seemed as though everyone was there, he raised his hands, and almost instantly the chattering ceased.

“Today we attack the Kandarins!” began the general. There was a roar as the army cheered and stamped their feet. Lucas clapped half-heartedly and examined the general instead. He was on the fringes of the group and had a relatively clear view. The general was a tall, broad-shouldered man, wearing a blue and brown tunic over his armor. Over his shoulder rose the hilt of a large sword. His face was square and clean-shaven, revealing numerous battle scars. He was large, muscular, and looked every bit the warrior. When quiet settled again, he continued. In the total silence, his booming voice was loud enough for all to hear.

“My name is General Rodric. I, along with my fellow generals, have created the battle strategy. Here we are composed of four companies: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth. The Sixth and Seventh, under commanders Everett and Troy, will descend nearest the cliffs and attack from the west – the right side. The Eighth and Ninth, under commanders Ferric and Desmond, will follow the cliffs, circle around, and come in from the east. We’ll come in on two flanks and surround them, gentlemen.

20-Jul-2008 23:34:47 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:28 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
"They’re outnumbered, they’re injured, and they’re weary. Scouts reported about three hundred men remaining. We can defeat them easily. Let’s make this quick – scouts have sighted ships coming in from the west. We need to finish off this group and prepare to defend the beach.”

Lucas’ heart sank. Ships? Defending the beach? This would last forever. It wasn’t one simple battle, which he had barely prepared himself for. Now they would have to stop an incoming army. This was insane. He struggled to control himself and took a few deep breaths while listening to Rodric finish his speech.

“It is a lot of work, but the odds are in our favor. We get rid of this party, and we’re all set. Beware of their mages – they still have two. Now, go form in your companies, and we’ll march.”

Lucas was caught in the tide as the army mobilized, forming organized regiments before their commanders. He spotted Commander Ferric, a man he had met when the army set out, and joined the crowd near him. His spirits lifted slightly as he recognized Gavin and his companions nearby. As he approached, Martin came over and gave him a friendly smile. “Hey, kid. You’re in the Eighth?”

He nodded. “Tenth squad.”

Martin’s smile widened. “Me too, kid. Gavin, Cor, Reynolds and Shem are all in the ninth squad. Dunno how it ended up like that...” He chuckled. The others had joined them by then, and Gavin embraced his friend, slapping him on the back.

“You be careful out there, Martin. And you, kid, keep an eye on him? Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Lucas nodded shyly. Martin embraced his other friends. “Come back in one piece, all of you,” he ordered with sad eyes. Then he turned to Lucas. “Come on, kid, let’s get going.” Lucas followed as he led him to the rest of the tenth squad.

20-Jul-2008 23:36:46 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:37 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
As they were organized into neat lines, the young soldier looked up at Martin and asked quietly, “Aren’t you nervous?”

Martin chuckled, but for once, it wasn’t a patronizing laughter. “I used to kid. Oh boy, did I used to. I’d get so nervous I’d go throw up behind the bushes.*

*What changed?”

“I guess I did.” The warrior shrugged. “I got used to it. Once you keep surviving, well, that isn’t saying you always will, but it does say you learned some survival skills, you know? Once you get it right a few times you’ll get some confidence and know that you got the ability to get out alive. You learn how to fight a bit, and then there’s no need to be nervous.”

Lucas was feeling like he might need to go throw up. “I don’t know how to fight,” he admitted in a small, embarrassed voice. It killed him to say it, but here was someone he could trust. Here was someone who would never make fun of him like Justine’s father had.

Martin’s smile was sad as he clapped Lucas on the back. “Of course you don’t, kid. Nobody does, not ever, really, unless you go to one of those fancy military schools to learn how to be an officer. You just learn what you have to, you learn enough to stay alive. Don’t worry, kid, I’ll watch your back until you get it. It*s not hard, honestly.”

“How do you deal with it? Killing people, I mean…”

“I could feed you some line about ‘kill or be killed’, but like fighting, the truth is, you can’t really get over it. You just have to learn to deal. Shut it out for the time being. It never gets easy, but you can’t do anything about it, so you just move on, and some years later their faces are gonna float before your eyes when you try to sleep. War never ends, it never goes away for you. I can** sugar-coat it. That’s the hard facts, kid.”

20-Jul-2008 23:38:31 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:47 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Lucas nodded and took another deep breath. It wasn’t exactly reassuring, but he’d have to accept it, just as he had to accept that he had joined this war and had to go to battle now. *Well, just remember, you stick them with the pointy end,’ he thought to himself. ‘Come on, Lucas, you’ll be fine.’ Martin shook his shoulder. “Hey, kid, you’ll be all right, don’t you worry. I got your back, all right? It isn’t so bad, really. There’s good times too.” Then he nodded his head toward the beach. “Come on, we gotta go.”

They followed the squad as it marched back away from the cliff toward the tree line. It was in line behind the other nine squads of the company, each numbering twenty-five men. There were two hundred and fifty total in the company, and another two hundred and fifty marching behind them. Up ahead, Lucas spied Gavin and his friends joking and laughing as they went. Not being visibly nervous was one thing, but it was like they were looking forward to the battle. How could they be so nonchalant about all this?

For thirty minutes they marched along the outskirts of the forest, weaving between palm trees, and after about half that time they heard the sounds of battle joined on the beach. There was a cacophony of shouting and the clashes of metal, loud and clear across the sand. The earth shook silently and smoke rose in large columns, suggesting that the mages were well and active. Finally they began to curve down across the beach and trudged down a long slope until the ocean came into view and the battle was clearly visible. That was when the horn blew. Suddenly everyone around Lucas was running, charging down into the battle. He told his legs to move, but they were sluggish and reluctant, and he staggered a moment before finding his stride. Commander Ferric, at the front of the line, had drawn his sword and waved it wildly, urging them along while he stopped and watched them pass. Lucas drew his own sword and watched the gap close.

20-Jul-2008 23:39:03 - Last edited on 12-Jul-2013 19:28:59 by Crystal Smee

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